Droughtmaster and Brahman buyers rolled in to the Roma Saleyards on Friday for the annual tropical breeds bull sale and witnessed a record top price for the venue.
Selling kicked off at 9am with 39 Brahman sires passing through the ring to achieve an average price of $4629 and a clearance of 80 per cent.
Making up the majority of the yarding, 103 Droughtmaster bulls were offered for an average of $6182 and a clearance rate of 93 per cent.
Buyers waited until quite late in the sale to see the Roma Saleyards’ top price record broken when Wayne and Ingrid York’s polled Droughtmaster sire, Karragarra Manpower, sold for $42,000 to Steven Swan and Allison Hotz, Swan Droughtmaster Stud, Moura.
The bull weighed in at 805kg and offered a 41cm scrotal circumference and P8 and rib fat measurements of 12 and seven millimetres respectively.
The sale of Karragarra Manpower also represented an individual milestone for the York family being their best result at the tropical sale on record.
The Droughtmaster contingent presented a strong performance throughout the catalogue with lot 60, Carlton Jethro, selling for a second top price of $24,000 to Terry Piggott, Aldinga Park, Rolleston.
Offered by Rob Pollock, Carlton Droughtmasters, Roma, the bull offered P8 and rib fat depths of 11 and seven millimetres, an EMA of 122 sq.cm, and an impressive scrotal circumference of 44.5cm.
The Spann family, Minlacowie, Goovigen, had a successful run at the sale with lot 184, Minlacowie Top Cat, selling for $12,000 to LR and LJ Philp, Bell.
Emma Warne, Tenmile, Casino, came in close behind with the sale of Gen Y Jackaroo for $11,500 to Karoola Grazing Company, Charleville.
Volume buyers were active for the Droughtmaster portion of the sale with four bulls selling to Reynella Grazing Company, Charleville, for a total of $17,000.
The Devils Nest, Freshwater and Southampton partnerships, Barcaldine Downs Pastoral Company, and GW and JR Blacket each took home three sires from the sale.
So too did Broadmere Grazing, Mick and Hayley Hughes, BP and LA Knight, and Melinda Downs Pty Ltd., with all bulls selling into prominent Droughtmaster breeding areas.
Droughtmaster Society CEO Neil Donaldson said the results were “phenomenal” considering many buyers were still restricted by drought conditions.
“There was a big spread of buyers from Lightning Ridge right up to Cloncurry in a strong demonstration of support for the Droughtmaster breed,” he said.
“Many western buyers haven’t restocked yet and they don’t have the breeder numbers they did a few years ago so support from Western Queensland was probably less than what it has been for that reason.
“It was a big turn around from the results we saw a few years back at that sale and all things considered this was a very positive result.”
The Brahman segment slipped slightly with the results disappointing some vendors after the elation of the Rockhampton Brahman Week sale.
Justin and Haley Titmarsh, Kyilla, Condamine, sold both the top priced and second top priced Brahman sires for $14,000 and $8000 respectively.
Leaving the ring with top price honours, JNH Koshi sold to John Schutt, Tralee, Blackall, early in the sale and held his number one position for the remainder of the Brahman lots.
The two-year-old bull weighed in at 760kg with P8 and rib fat depths of 12 and 10 millimetres respectively and a scrotal circumference of 40cm to boot.
Mr and Mrs Titmarsh’s second top priced bull was sold under the stud prefix Reldarah, also operating from Kyilla, Condamine.
The 27-month-old Reldarah Victor sold for $8000 to Charlie Booth, Bonanza Park, Wandoan, and offered a 43cm scrotal circumference at a massive weight of 910kg.
One volume buyer in particular stood out within the Brahman portion of the sale- Max Cann, Chinchilla, picked up five sires for a total of $18,000 positioning him as the top volume buyer of the sale.
Selling agents: Landmark, Elders and GDL.
